In medical (human and veterinarian medical) and non-medical, technical applications of an endoscope, as a rule a light source is required to illuminate the observed body cavity. The light source is, for example, a halogen incandescent lamp or a xenon high-pressure gas-discharge lamp. The light source together with devices for power supply, control or regulation and a user interface is positioned in a housing. A proximal end of an endoscope can be coupled with the medical appliance by a flexible light conductor cable or directly. Light generated by the light source, in some cases by means of the flexible light conductor cable, is transmitted or conducted to the proximal end of the endoscope and by means of one or more light wave conductors from the proximal end to the distal end of the endoscope.
The couplings on the ends of a light wave conductor on the one hand and a coupling provided for direct coupling with a medical appliance on the proximal end of an endoscope are clearly of different configurations. Therefore a medical appliance must have two different couplings, depending on whether it is to be coupled with a light conductor cable or directly with a proximal end of an endoscope. For example, a medical appliance can alternatively be equipped either with a coupling for a light conductor cable or with a coupling for direct coupling with a proximal end of an endoscope. Because the coupling on the medical appliance must be precisely adjusted, an exchange of the coupling on a medical appliance with light source is possible only with their producer.
If a medical appliance is equipped with a coupling for direct coupling with a proximal end of an endoscope, if necessary a light conductor cable can be coupled with the medical appliance if necessary by means of an auxiliary adapter. This auxiliary adapter, however, clearly reduces the light yield and makes handling difficult.
An air connection is often required to connect an endoscope; it can take the form in particular of a videoscope, bronchoscope or the like. Thus an adapter must also be provided, which will have an air connection available to ensure the preparation of air or another fluid.